


Parenting 101

by orphan_account



Category: USWNT - Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-07
Updated: 2013-10-07
Packaged: 2017-12-28 18:46:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/995274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account





	Parenting 101

Tobin parked her black Jetta in the parking lot of the doctor's office, turning to face Alex.  
"Tobs, I'm not so sure about this." Alex sighed.  
Tobin followed Alex's gaze to the front door, where reporters were waiting with their cameras and microphones to get stories for the news. Of course this would bring some headlines- two professional women's soccer players at a fertility center for sperm donors. People wouldn't need their own conclusions.  
"Lex, baby, c'mon. Let them make their stupid stories. Who cares what other people think?" Tobin asked.  
Alex twisted her mouth into an odd shape, thinking.  
"People are going to judge." Alex replied.  
Tobin nodded and unbuckled her seat belt, turning to face Alex.  
"Baby, I know. But we didn't care when we got married. And they'll find out eventually- you know US Soccer will release information sooner or later. So why not give headlines now? We don't even need to talk to them." Tobin pointed out.  
Reluctantly, Alex nodded and grabbed her purse. She quickly gave Tobin a kiss on the lips, getting out of the car and meeting Tobin in the back. The midfielder grabbed her wife's hand and smiled, looking at her.  
"Ready?" Tobin asked brightly.  
Alex nodded and the two walked I to the crowd. Tobin used one hand to push away reporters, her other still intertwined with Alex's. Alex did the same, using more force and earning some nasty comments. When the two finally got to the office, a few receptionists closed the door behind them and kept reporters out, immediately taking them to an examination room.  
"Please change into this gown and fill out the forms. Doctor Wilson will be in soon." A nurse told them.  
Alex room the clipboard and began filling in her and Tobin's information, waiting while Tobin stripped her shorts and tank top, putting on the thin paper gown and jumping onto the table.  
"You ready, babe?" Alex asked.  
Tobin nodded, looking up from her fingers.  
"I'm nervous." Tobin admitted.  
Alex grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly.  
"Don't be. We'll be fine." Alex reassured her wife.  
"But what if it doesn't work?" Tobin asked.  
"We'll try again. And again. And again." Alex replied.  
Tobin smiled and the doctor walked in, taking the clipboard from Alex and walking to her assorted tools.   
"So you've already chosen your donor, correct?" Dr. Wilson asked.  
Alex and Tobin both nodded, handing over the canister they had been given a few days before. Dr. Wilson opened it and reclined Tobin's chair, inserting the contents of the canister into a long syringe.   
"It'll only be a brief moment." Dr. Wilson stated.  
Tobin gasped as the needle entered her, and Alex quickly found her wife's hand for support. She stroked her thumb against Tobin's skin, watching as the midfielder relaxed when the needle was taken out.  
"I'll be right back to speak with you. Feel free to change." The doctor said, leavings the room.  
Tobin changed back slowly and sat back in the chair, putting on a smile for Alex.  
"You still nervous?" Alex asked.  
Tobin shrugged and leaned in towards Alex, kissing her gently. Abruptly, the forward pushed back against Tobin's lips, laying a hand on the midfielder's back.   
"Lex." Tobin whispered.  
Alex hummed and Tobin found her wife's stomach, stroking it softly.   
"I love you." Alex murmured.   
Someone cleared their voice loudly and the two women broke apart, embarrassed as the doctor walked to her station.  
"Um, so did it take?" Alex asked.  
"We won't know for another month or so. You'll have to schedule an appointment with the front desk." Dr, Wilson answered.  
Alex nodded and Tobin took a mental note.   
Dr. Wilson then set multiple bottles of pills and a few pamphlets in front of both women.  
"To help your body accept the process, take one of each pill with every meal. Read through the pamphlets- they'll answer all of the questions. If anything goes wrong or you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to call us for an appointment or visit the emergency room. We'll see you in a month!" Dr. Wilson explained.  
Tobin gathered the pills in her arms and followed Alex to the front desk, taking a plastic bag while Alex scheduled their appointment.  
"Babe, will you be okay coming alone? These are all during practice." Alex asked.  
Tobin nodded and stood beside Alex, waiting until her wife was done.  
"See you in a month!" The receptionist called.  
Both women took their hands in the other's again, going back into the crowd of reporters that hadn't left.   
"Alex! Alex, what are you doing here?"  
"Tobin! Alex! Are you having a baby?"  
"Alex! Please answer our questions!"  
Reports shouted questions at them, cameras flashing at the same time and following the couple to their car. Once Tobin and Alex got inside, Tobin started the engine and drove through them, forcing them to make a hole and let the car through.

\----- 

Alex gently helped Tobin into the same car they had driven a month prior, taking the driver’s wheel this time.   
“You comfortable, Tobs?” Alex asked her wife.  
Tobin nodded and Alex started the engine, pulling slowly out of the driveway.   
Like the month before, the couple fought reporters to get inside of the office, able to breathe once inside the tinted glass doors. Once again, a nurse took them to a room, instructing Tobin to change into another paper gown and wait on the table.  
“Welcome, ladies. Everything going alright?” Dr. Wilson asked, entering the room.  
Tobin and Alex nodded simultaneously, and Alex let Tobin speak up.  
“I’ve missed my period, and feel a little nauseous in the mornings, but no sickness yet. I’ve also felt hungrier and feel heavier.” Tobin explained to the doctor.   
Dr. Wilson wrote all of this down on her clipboard, taking side notes occasionally.  
“Well, that’s all normal. Now we’ll just check for verification on whether or not the procedure took.”   
Alex took Tobin’s hand within her own, watching as the clear gel was squirted onto Tobin’s slightly grown stomach. Dr. Wilson began spreading the gel with her tool, looking up at the screen. Suddenly, she smiled brightly.  
“You can hear the faint heartbeat.” She whispered.  
The room was quiet as both women strained to hear the soft thudding, and Alex suddenly felt overcome with emotion. She felt warm tears falling down her cheeks, and Tobin swiped her thumb against her face to wipe them away.   
“Do we know the gender?” Alex whispered.  
“It’s still too early, but we should know at about 3 months. Right now, you’re a month in.” Dr. Wilson answered.  
Tobin asked a few more questions and Dr. Wilson prescribed some more medicine, giving more instructions and letting the couple leave after scheduling an appointment for another month.  
Once in the safety of their car, Alex pressed her lips to Tobin’s.  
“We’re going to be parents.” Alex smiled.  
Tobin nodded joyfully.  
“I just want to go splurge on cribs, and strollers, and junk.” Tobin laughed.  
Alex agreed and started the engine of the car.  
“Can we call everyone now?” Tobin asked.  
Alex thought about it for a few minutes, shaking her head.  
“Just family. I’d rather surprise the team at practice tomorrow.” Alex answered.

\----- 

The next morning, Tobin walked onto the grass fields of the Home Depot Center with Alex, dressed in denim shorts and a loose-fitting tank top. They hadn’t yet told their teammates about the plan to have a baby, and the coaching staff was the only people aware of the effort they had made over the last month.   
“Tobs!” Cheney exclaimed.  
A-Rod and Lauren both ran over and gave Tobin hugs, lifting her up happily.  
“Where have you been?” Abby asked.  
Tobin shrugged and smiled widely, unable to keep the grin from her face.  
“Guys, we have some very important news.” Alex said with a straight face.  
The entire team’s expressions became serious and they looked on at the couple nervously.  
“We’re having a baby!” Tobin announced.  
Suddenly, the two women were swamped by their teammates, receiving hugs and kisses and screams of delight.  
“Gender?” Christie asked.  
“Unknown. Still too early.” Alex replied.  
The rest of the team nodded and gave the two women their congratulations before starting practice, and Tobin took a seat on the bench beside Rylie and Reece Rampone.  
“Mommy said you’re going to be a mommy.” Rylie said to Tobin.  
Tobin nodded and patted her stomach gently.   
“In 8 months, you’ll have a new friend.” Tobin said.  
Rylie smiled brightly and hugged Reece, leaving the younger girl curious.  
“You mean there’s a person in your tummy?” Reece asked, flustered.  
Tobin nodded slowly.  
“Yep. Right here.” Tobin laughed, poking Reece’s stomach.  
The little girl giggled and ran off, going to compete with Rylie in standing on the ball. 

\----- 

Alex finished sticking the last address label on the large white envelope, flipping the large stack over to slide in the lacey invitations. A loud banging noise from the kitchen got her attention, and she jumped off the couch, rushing into the room.  
“Tobin?!” Alex exclaimed worriedly.  
“I’m okay, Lex.”   
Alex rushed to the pantry, where Tobin was standing amongst a pile of chips, cake batter, and other non-perishable food items.  
“What are you doing?” Alex asked.  
Tobin looked down at the mess, embarrassed, and shrugged.  
“I wanted some peaches.” Tobin muttered.  
Alex laughed and grabbed the can from the highest shelf for Tobin, handing it to her and helping her walk over the pile of food. It was a more difficult task because of Tobin’s overgrown belly, although she was only at the start of three months.   
“I can’t open it.” Alex heard Tobin yell frustratingly.  
“Tobs, baby, you gotta use the can opener.” Alex called.  
Alex listened for the whirring of the small battery-powered machine and rolled her eyes. Tobin was starting to get annoying. By the time she had fully cleaned the pantry, she walked back into the living room to see Tobin sitting on the couch with her peaches, feet propped up onto the coffee table and watching ‘Duck Dynasty’.   
“Want help, Lex?” Tobin asked.  
Alex shrugged and handed her wife some invitations, giving her specific instructions to slide them in right side up and seal them with a sticker. Tobin began the task and moved her feet onto Alex’s lap.  
“Rub?” Tobin asked cheekily.  
Alex groaned and began working her hands onto her wife’s tan feet, making disgusted faces.  
“You know you love it.” Tobin teased.  
Alex shot Tobin a glare and her wife shied away, finishing the stack of envelopes before tucking her hands behind her head and leaning back on the couch. Within minutes, Alex was sure the midfielder was fast asleep. Doing her best not to move too much, Alex began sliding off the couch, eager to have some alone time before Tobin woke up. Suddenly, she was thrust back onto the couch and looked up quickly, only to see Tobin laughing at her.  
“You just wait until you’ve got that baby out.” Alex threatened.

\----- 

“Do you have the gender yet?” Tobin asks eagerly.  
Dr. Wilson smiled and set her ultrasound tool down, removing her glasses and flipping through some of her paperwork.  
“According to the ultrasound, which hardly ever fails, you’re to have a girl March 17th.” Dr. Wilson answered.  
Alex couldn’t help the smile that crossed her face as tears filled her eyes. She’d finally get someone to teach to be girly and still kick ass at sports. When Dr. Wilson left to speak with the nurse about an appointment, Alex jumped off her chair and pranced around the room, unable to contain her excitement.   
Soon, her attention was brought to Tobin, who was still sitting on the table, silent tears rolling down her face.  
“Tobs? Babe, what’s wrong?” Alex asked, bending to face Tobin.  
“Nothing. It’s stupid.” Tobin whispered hurriedly.  
Tobin desperately wiper her tears away, putting on a fake smile. Alex didn’t buy it, though.  
“Tobs, please tell me what’s wrong.” Alex pleaded.  
Tobin took in a shaky breath and looked into Alex’s caring blue eyes.  
“I wanted a boy. Someone I could teach to surf and skateboard.” Tobin answered.  
Alex smiled sympathetically and her face softened.  
“Tobs, I’m sorry.” Alex whispered in a hushed voice.  
Tobin shook her head and wiped a falling tear.  
“You know, you can still do that with our baby girl. You and Kelley surf and skateboard. And I do, too.” Alex pointed out.  
Tobin looked up at Alex, a smile on her face.  
“Well, Kells and I do. You try to surf and skateboard.” Tobin teased.  
Alex stuck her tongue out at Tobin and playfully slapped her arm.  
“Then you can teach her the correct way.” Alex stated.  
Tobin shrugged.  
“I guess so.” She whispered.  
Alex embraced Tobin in a hug, when an idea came to her.  
“And maybe the next one will be a boy.” Alex said.  
Tobin pulled away, beaming.  
“Maybe.” She agreed.

\----- 

Alex sprinkled the last bag of pink and lavender confetti onto the white table cloth, fixing the goody bags and admiring the room. Multiple tables were set up around them room, enough to fit the entire USWNT and both of Tobin and Alex’s families and friends. In the corner by the door, Cheney and A-Rod were sitting at a table to help with sign-in and gift drop-off, and HAO and KO were ready to help people with the games- trivia, guessing, and even some pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey baby shower version. Abby had just set the giant cake down on the dessert table, and workers were scurrying around to put out the appetizers and snacks. Tobin was standing to the side, her belly already protruding at the correct size for a six-month pregnant lady.   
“Tobs, you good?” Alex called across the room.  
Tobin flashed Alex a smile and gave her a thumbs-up, motioning to the door. Alex turned and watched as some of her friends filled in, rushing to greet them.   
Within thirty minutes, the room was packed with people, and both Tobin and Alex were caught up in talking to everyone.  
Before the cake was cut, Kelley got onto the small stage that had been set up, and the rest of the team stood behind her.  
“We’d like to make a quick announcement.” Kelley stated into the microphone.  
All eyes turned to the freckled defender, and she took a breath, looking directly and Tobin and Alex.  
“I know this isn’t normal for a baby shower, but the team and I put together a small video for Tobin and Alex with some tips and stuff.” Kelley said.  
She nodded in the direction of the kitchen, and the lights went dim, the projector whirring and the movie beginning on the screen. Christie came up first.  
“Captain America here.” She introduced.  
The video started with personal home videos from each mom of the team, including small snippets with tips and suggestions, and the other girls told stories about the two women. By the end of it, Tobin was tearing up. Once the video was finally over, she shouted over the crowd.  
“Look at me! This thing is messing with my hormones!” she joked.  
The room erupted into laughter and the team gathered Tobin and Alex into a group hug.   
“Only three more months!” Kelley replied.

\----- 

With two months left until Tobin’s projected due date, the two women sat on their couch, having just finished painting the nursery a light pink color and adding some soccer decorations.  
“Lex, we still haven’t picked names.” Tobin said.  
Alex nodded slowly and twisted her lips upward.  
“Since it’ll be a girl, I really like Kristen for a first name.” Alex suggested.  
Tobin nodded in approval.  
“I like it. Now for a middle name?” Tobin responded.  
Alex shrugged and thought of different people who had impacted her career so far.  
“Well, I had this one coach who started my PDA team when I first began playing, and her name was Skye.” Tobin said.  
Alex thought about the name and put the two together.  
“Kristen Skye Heath-Morgan. I like it.” Alex noted.  
Tobin smiled and looked down at her belly.  
“Like it, Kristen?” Tobin asked.  
Tobin felt a hard kick from the baby and gasped slightly.  
“I guess that’s a yes?” Alex joked.  
“I guess so.” Tobin laughed.

\----- 

Alex sat on the edge of her and Tobin’s bed, watching the light beneath the bathroom door worriedly.  
“Tobs? You okay?” Alex called.  
Tobin had been in the bathroom for the past hour and a half, complaining of a stomach ache. Tobin opened the door, still in obvious pain.  
“Maybe we should go to the ER. You might be in labor, Tobs.” Alex suggested.  
Tobin shook her head.  
“No, I’m not due for another month and a half.” Tobin answered.  
Alex looked on reluctantly as another wave of pain hit Tobin and she gritted her teeth. Once it was over, she stood carefully.  
“Get me to the hospital.” She announced.  
Alex needed those words and she instantly grabbed their bags and threw them into the trunk of the car, helping Tobin into the passenger seat and pulling out of the driveway. Luckily, it was one o’clock, and no other cars were on the road, making the ability to speed greater.   
“My wife is in labor!” Alex yelled into the hospital doors.  
A nurse rushed out and got Tobin into a wheelchair while Alex tossed her keys to a random nurse walking by, taking her bags and following Tobin to a room. She was helped into a paper gown and onto a special chair, and Dr. Wilson was suddenly before them.  
“Tobin, I’m going to need you to push as hard as you can.” Dr. Wilson instructed.  
Tobin nodded and yelled, pushing as hard as she could. Alex offered her hand for Tobin to squeeze, and immediately regretted it when she felt the death grip Tobin had on her.   
It didn’t take long until a faint cry was audible, and the next minute was a flurry of rushing.  
Dr. Wilson had Alex cut the cord quickly and handed the baby to a waiting nurse, giving her specific instructions. The nurse ran off with others behind her, and some stayed back to calm Alex, who wanted to know where her baby was being taken.   
“Let me see my baby!” Alex screamed.  
Dr. Wilson stepped forward and instantly calmed Alex, forcing her to take a seat. She cleared her throat and spoke.  
“As you’re probably aware, your girl was born a month and a half early. That has arisen some problems. Her organs and heart aren’t fully grown, and a lot of her body doesn’t know its proper functions to work on its own without the mother’s help.” Dr. Wilson explained.  
Alex suddenly felt sick. Her one child was at risk of dying, and she or Tobin couldn’t do anything about it. Alex felt the room spinning and her knees go weak before everything was black. 

\----- 

The next few weeks, Tobin and Alex slept at the hospital in chairs just beside the nursery in case there was an emergency. Each member of the team had visited three times a week, and direct family members came and went. Tobin had insisted her parents not visit until Kyleigh was healthy enough to be fully enjoyed, and Alex’s parents occasionally made the trip from Diamond Bar to see their granddaughter.   
“Mrs. Heath-Morgan?” a nurse asked one morning, fifteen days since Kyleigh’s birth.  
Tobin and Alex both shot out of their chairs, moving towards the doctor.  
“Kyleigh seems to be improving. Her immune system is catching up and we’ve slowly let out the breathing tubes. She’s a fighter.” The nurse explained.  
Alex looked at Tobin with a smile of relief, letting her wife ask questions.  
“Can we see her?”  
“Of course.”  
“When can we go home?”  
“Hopefully in about four days.”  
“Will she be okay?”  
“We hope so.”  
It was the best the couple got. Washing their hands thoroughly and changing into hospital scrubs, entering the small room inside the nursery that held their daughter in a lone incubator.   
She was so tiny, her little chest rising and falling with each breath, and one of her limbs would move slightly every so often. Her tiny eyes stared back up at Tobin and Alex, her soft brown eyes already indicating she’d be just like Tobin. Both women looked down at their small baby for a few minutes before the nurses ushered them out, insisting it was health precaution. Tobin kissed her fingers and gently set them on the incubator cover, Alex doing the same as they left the room.

\----- 

Alex flipped over in bed, pulling the blankets further onto her side of the bed. When Tobin didn’t pull them back to the other end, she sat bolt right up in bed, looking around the room. She couldn’t see any lights on or hear anyone, and finally decided to check the nursery. Sure enough, when she stepped inside, Tobin was sitting in the new rocking chair, gently moving back and forth, Kyleigh wrapped in a pink blanket in her arms. Tobin was humming a Hillsong United song from their latest album, lost in staring at Kyleigh.  
“Tobs, you should get some sleep.” Alex whispered.  
Tobin looked up at the forward and back down at Kyleigh reluctantly.  
“She’ll be fine.” Alex reassured Tobin.  
The midfielder got up from the rocking chair and carefully set the wrapped baby into the crib, lining her sides with stuffed animals to prevent the baby from rolling onto her front while sleeping. Yawning, Tobin turned the lights off and followed Alex back into their bedroom, getting inside and pressing her wife against the wall.  
“Did you know we haven’t had sex in more than nine months?” Tobin asked.  
Alex shook her head.  
“Well, we’re never going that long again.” Tobin laughed.  
The midfielder leaned in a kissed Alex, sliding a hand under her shirt.  
“Bed. Now.” Alex said.  
And that was all Tobin needed to hear.

\----- 

The entire room was full of USWNT players and members of the coaching staff, everyone sporting a pink princess party hat and noise makers. A hotel kitchen worker brought in a two-tiered funfetti cake with pink frosting, a single candle lighted at the top. Everyone in the room began belting out the Happy Birthday song, singing off-key and happily, goofing off with friends and family.  
“Blow out the candles, Ky!” Kelley urged the baby.  
Kyleigh looked up at her godmother, confused, and Kelley blew the candle for her, letting everyone clap. Kyleigh gushed happily and smiled, showing off her growing teeth. Even though she was only a year old, everyone could easily tell she was Tobin’s daughter by her frame, mellow temperament, and big brown eyes. Especially the big brown eyes.  
Tobin helped pass out slices of cake while Alex cut the pieces evenly, making sure everyone got a piece of funfetti cake before moving to Kyleigh’s high chair and feeding the baby, proceeding to take her around the room to play.  
The entire event was a huge festivity, much like the birthday parties the team had held for Reece Rampone numerous times at the Algarve Cup. By the end of the night, each player and coach had left the ballroom, leaving the hotel staff to clean while they all went to bed.

\----- 

Alex laughed as she watched Tobin try to corral the small four year olds, only getting tiny soccer balls thrown at her.  
"Hey!" Tobin laughed.  
The kids continued throwing the balls, knowing Tobin was a big softy and wouldn't punish them.   
"I have an idea! If you behave for an hour and a half, everyone gets ice cream." Tobin stated.  
The kids immediately dropped the soccer balls and sat at Tobin's feet, all ears. Tobin smiled in triumph and pointed to some cones in a box shape.  
"When I blow my whistle, you're going to dribble around the square. When I say 'blue', do a step over. 'Pink' is scissors, 'orange' is pull back, and 'green' is stop and go." Tobin explained.  
She blew her whistle and the girls began running around the square, waiting for Tobin's instructions.   
"Blue!" Tobin shouted.  
Some girls completed he move at various paces, others not so much, and one girl tripped on the ball, starting to cry. Tobin jogged to her and knelt down, Alex watching the entire exchange.  
"Hey, Lilly, it's okay, don't cry." Tobin soothed.  
Lilly wiped her tears and looked at Tobin.  
"Are you okay?" Tobin asked.  
Lilly nodded and Tobin offered her hand, helping the girl up.   
Tobin shouted another color and turned back to Lilly, slowly showing her how to do a step over. The little girl repeated the motion, and Tobin cheered her on.  
"Good job, Lil!" Tobin exclaimed.  
The younger girl smiled and went off to continue the drill, letting Tobin roam again. Alex smiled brightly, amazed at how good her wife was with kids. Tobin went to help someone else and Alex turned her attention to her own four year old, Kyleigh, who was maneuvering quickly through the grid, easily doing each move and moving on. Alex loved seeing her practice with Tobin in the backyard because she looked just like Tobin- tongue sticking out, hands wildly swinging, squinted gaze, and she wouldn't give up until she got it right.   
Alex often had to fight with Kyleigh to get her off the soccer field, which usually led to the little girl ignoring Alex for a few days, letting only Tobin tuck her in at night until she forgave her, and the same thing happened again. Finally, Alex gave up and let Kyleigh come into the house when she had worn herself out, which usually occurred while she laid down on the grass to rest and ended up falling asleep.  
Once, Tobin had even fallen asleep on the wet grass with Kyleigh, both of them having been playing the entire day. Alex had simply draped a blanket over each of them, setting an EZ-Up over them and going inside for the night, leaving the back door open in case they came in in the middle of the night- they never did.

\----- 

“Nice job, Kyleigh!” Tobin screamed.  
Both Tobin and Alex watched in the bleachers as their daughter dribbled down the sideline, sending in a perfect cross to the forwards, giving Manhattan Beach High School the lead, 1-0, with ten minutes left in regulation time. Both women had been afraid of Kyleigh being out of step going back to high school from the U20 Women’s World Cup, which Kyleigh had attended for the last year before college. The U.S. had won gold, earning Kyleigh her fifth overall in World Cup competition, and numerous in various tournaments around the world.   
In the fall, Kyleigh would attend Stanford University, playing as a starting outside mid on their women’s soccer team with a full-ride scholarship.   
Neither Tobin nor Alex could believe their daughter’s success so far, but it wasn’t too surprising, either.   
Growing up, Kyleigh had watched countless USWNT games and trainings, practicing a few times and earning extra tips from her godmothers and parents, and getting the privilege to meet some of the top players in the world.   
Of course, having two elite soccer players as parents paid its toll, too- Kyleigh often ran with her mothers, every day, seven miles a day, or was pushed to her limits at side training with the national teams—younger player or not, she worked harder than anyone else to improve, refusing to get beat- and that was about as close to Alex as she got in terms of soccer. 

\----- 

Tobin ran downstairs just in time to answer the ringing kitchen phone, pressing the ‘accept call’ button and walking back into the living room to join Alex and Tyson, Alex’s godson they were watching.  
“Ky! How is everything?” Tobin asked.  
Alex perked up at the sound of her daughter’s name, cradling Tyson in her lap and trying to make conversation.  
“Here that? It’s Ky!” Alex said.  
The three-year-old laughed happily as Alex began tickling him, and Tobin put a hand over her open ear to block the noise.  
“Mom, is Mama around?” Kyleigh asked.  
“Yeah, why?” Tobin replied.  
“Go in a different room.”  
Tobin walked upstairs to her bedroom, closing the door.  
“Is everything okay, Kyleigh?” Tobin asked, worried.  
“Yeah, everything is fine. I have good news, Mom.” Kyleigh said.  
Tobin listened as her daughter explained her morning’s happenings.  
“So when I got back from my run, Judy, my roommate, told me that someone had called and left their number. So I called them back and you’ll never guess who it was.”  
Tobin was silent and let her daughter tell her.  
“Jill Ellis! She wants me to play with the full national team in their game coming up on March 17th!” Kyleigh exclaimed.  
Tobin couldn’t suppress her scream of joy as soon as she heard the news.  
“I have to tell your mom!” Tobin said, opening the bedroom door.  
Suddenly, Kyleigh stopped yelling.  
“No! Mom, don’t tell her!” Kyleigh pleaded.  
“Why not?” Tobin questioned.  
Of all people, Alex would be the one to definitely want to know news like this.  
“I want to make it a surprise. Like, when they’re announcing the players and she hears my name and I get to have a special message flash up or something.” Kyleigh explained.  
Tobin nodded.  
“What do you plan on doing exactly?” Tobin asked.  
Kyleigh’s end was quiet as she thought.  
“I don’t know. Ooh! Maybe I can mail something that says ‘turn to channel whatever’ and then she goes there and hears my name and then the bottom says ‘surprise!’!” Kyleigh exclaimed happily.  
Tobin nodded slowly, approving her daughter’s idea.  
“I like it. But, maybe we could take her to the game instead. I can call Jill ahead of time and have you just hide out until the anthems and warm-ups somewhere else. And then we can just act like there’s a presentation for the old team at half time and just have your aunties?” Tobin suggested.  
Kyleigh hummed in approval.  
“I guess so. But listen, mom, I’ll test you the details, just make sure you don’t tell mom!” Kyleigh said.  
“I won’t, I promise.” Tobin reassured Kyleigh.   
As Tobin went back downstairs, she fought the huge grin off her face.  
“What did Ky call for?” Alex asked.  
“She was just making sure we got her game schedule.” Tobin lied.  
Alex nodded and furrowed her eyebrows together.   
“Okay.”

\----- 

“Lex, it’s not a fashion show!” Tobin yelled.  
“I don’t care! I’ll in front of tons of people!” Alex yelled back.  
Tobin set her Bible down on the coffee table and mumbled to herself, checking her watch. If they didn’t leave soon, they’d hit traffic. Traffic would mean missing the start, and Kyleigh’s surprise would be ruined.  
“There! I’m done!” Alex said, walking into the living room.  
Alex was wearing her old ‘Greatness Has Been Found’ t-shirt and denim shorts, the complete opposite of Tobin’s choice of jeans and a tank top. Tobin got off the couch and grabbed her keys off the counter, starting the engine as Alex walked slowly out of the house, finally getting into the car. Tobin quickly pulled out of the driveway, speeding towards the freeway to try and beat the traffic.  
By the time they got to the Home Depot Center, the game was fifteen minutes from anthems, and Tobin ran to the security line, impatiently waiting as the line moved and they were ushered to their seats.  
Tobin’s jaw dropped when she noticed a huge banner- “Welcome to Our New Player, Kyleigh Heath-Morgan!”- it read. Tobin quickly diverted Alex’s attention and got her to sit down, barely a minute before the teams began to walk out.   
“Tobs, we didn’t get a program!” Alex complained.  
Tobin shrugged and shushed her wife, looking anxiously as the US and England national teams emerged from the tunnel- America in white with thin red and blue stripes and England in red. Both teams lined up and the English anthem was first, ‘God Save The Queen’ blaring through speakers. The Americana anthem was next, and Tobin cringed when the camera panned over Kyleigh’s face. Luckily, Alex hadn’t seen the screen, still completely oblivious to her daughter being on the grass before her.   
The announcer began listing England’s starting line-up and Alex got out of her seat.  
“Hey, I’ll be back, I’m gonna run to the bathroom real quick.” Alex told Tobin.  
Tobin forcefully shoved Alex back onto the bleachers.  
“No. Wait until halftime.” Tobin demanded.  
Alex looked at her in shock, moving past her wife.  
“Tobs, you need to relax a little. I’ll watch after I go to the bathroom.” Alex replied.  
Tobin let her face fall into her hands as Alex started her walk up the bleachers. Not more than five steps away, Alex stopped dead in her tracks.  
“And your captain for today, earning her first cap for the USWNT, daughter of alumni Tobin Heath and Alex Morgan and sporting number five, your center midfielder, Kyleigh Heath-Morgan!” the announcer exclaimed.  
Cheers erupted throughout the stadium and Alex whipped around quickly.  
“What?!” she asked.  
Tobin smiled widely as Kyleigh waved around the stadium, her gaze falling on her moms. She pressed her hands to her lips and kissed them, shoving it back towards Tobin and Alex. The camera went to Tobin and Alex’s faces, and a small caption popped up on the big screen.  
“Surprise!” Tobin exclaimed.  
A wide grin spread across Alex’s face and her shock disappeared. She brushed past Tobin and sat back down, unable to keep the happy tears from flowing down her face.  
“Our daughter got her first call-up?” Alex asked.  
Tobin nodded.  
“And you didn’t tell me?”  
Reluctantly, Tobin nodded again.  
Alex rose a hand to slap Tobin, and Tobin cringed, confused when Alex ended up hugging her.  
“I love you so much.” Alex whispered.


End file.
